Language Development: Milestones in Your Baby’s Speech
A baby’s first words are music to any parent’s ears. But how can you tell if your child’s speech and language skills are developing normally?
Every child learns to speak at their own pace. However, there are certain milestones that can help assess whether a child is on track. These milestones are useful tools for healthcare professionals to determine if extra support might be needed.
By 3 Months
At around three months, your baby may:
- Smile when they see you
- Make cooing sounds
- Quiet down or smile when spoken to
- Seem to recognize your voice
- Use different types of crying to express different needs
By 6 Months
At around six months, your baby may:
- Laugh and make playful noises
- Babble with a range of sounds
- Use sounds to express joy or discomfort
- Turn their eyes toward sound sources
- React to changes in your tone of voice
- Notice toys that make noise
- Respond to music
By 12 Months
By their first birthday, your baby may:
- Try to imitate speech sounds
- Say a few words like “mama,” “dada,” or “uh-oh”
- Understand simple instructions like “come here”
- Recognize common words like “shoe”
- Turn their head toward sounds from behind
By 18 Months
By 18 months, your child may:
- Know the names of people, objects, and body parts
- Follow simple commands with gestures
- Say up to 10 words
By 24 Months
By age two, your child may:
- Use simple phrases like “more milk”
- Ask basic questions using one or two words, like “Sleep now?”
- Follow easy directions and understand simple questions
- Have a vocabulary of 50 or more words
- Speak clearly enough that you or other caregivers understand them at least half the time
When to Talk to Your Child’s Healthcare Provider
If you’re concerned that your child may have a language delay, speak with your child’s healthcare provider. Language delays can have many causes, including hearing loss and developmental disorders. Your provider may refer your child to a hearing specialist (audiologist) or a speech-language pathologist.
If your child is growing up in a bilingual environment, a bilingual speech-language pathologist can evaluate your child in both languages.
How You Can Support Your Child’s Speech
To help your child learn to talk:
- Speak to them often—describe what you’re doing and where you’re going
- Sing songs, read stories, and count together
- Encourage them to imitate gestures like clapping or make animal sounds
- Show joy and excitement when your child talks
- Repeat their sounds and words—this reinforces learning
- Baby talk is fine in moderation, but remember: your child learns to speak by imitating you